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La Russa not pleased with Pujols being hit

La Russa not pleased with Pujols being hit

Tony La Russa

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MILWAUKEE -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was still fuming Wednesday morning, a day after slugger Albert Pujols was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Brewers reliever Takashi Saito. La Russa stood by his assessment that it is unnecessary and dangerous to pitch in the area where Pujols was hit, even though he again acknowledged that Saito was not trying to hit Pujols.

"I was concerned every time they threw the ball up and in -- four times on him in two days," La Russa said. "The ball just missed him three times. They got him real good. I don't know what it's going to take -- a broken jaw or a fractured hand? Unintentional -- it is unintentional, but it's intentionally thrown up and in, and that's a dangerous thing. Just get the ball down, like we did [against Ryan Braun]."

La Russa also took a swipe at the Brewers' broadcast team for what he felt was an unnecessary personal attack at him during the Tuesday night game.

"You would hope the guys that work for the Brewers have enough guts and enough integrity to call the game as it is instead of worrying about their paycheck, which I understand isn't true," he said.

However, after that comment, he spoke with Milwaukee color commentator Bill Schroeder, and the two cleared the air.

As for a comment about "idiots" in the stands at Miller Park, La Russa further elaborated. On Tuesday night, La Russa said, "They're throwing the ball right in here, and that's why all these idiots up there ... not idiots, all the fans are yelling and yelling."

Asked for further clarification on that comment, La Russa said that the comments from the crowd grew distressingly personal.

"There's people yelling stuff from [behind] that dugout," he said. "They told me they removed a couple people. It was going way too far. When they start cursing your family and ... the funniest one, a guy was yelling, 'I hope you get shingles again.' It's just stupid."